Page 93 of A Kiss From Death
“If any of you think you have the answer, then speak now, or else you will be left fighting for your life today.” She looks down the line of us with a face that could cut glass. Everyone remains silent. “Very well then.” She claps. “May today have mercy on you…or not.”
She nods to the Enhancer next to her, who releases his magic again, amplifying her voice for the masses. “Now that’s out of the way, shall we check the rankings?”
The crowd erupts in cheers and chants for their favorite competitor. Surprisingly, I hear a couple people scream my name, and it throws me for a loop. Light shines in front of us, each of my competitors’ names typed through the air, ranking us one through four.
“Sitting at the top of the rankings, we have none other than Tank from Sweat Sector.” The Empress’ giant, wicked smile gleams while Tank’s name is chanted in the background. “Coming in second, it’s no surprise we have Jade the Vagrant from our winning team of Submerge.”
The crowd roars as Jade smiles and waves her hand like a princess, but I can still see the rotten heart beating in her chest. Apparently, I’m the only one who can, as the Empress has a hard time collecting the audience’s attention again, going crazy for Jade.
“In the third place ranking, we surprisingly have another Vagrant, Nyxi.” The crowd cheers, but nowhere near as loud as they did for Jade and Tank. I could honestly give two shits about what random people think of me, so I pay them no mind…for the most part. Instead, I focus on readying myself for today’s events as the Empress announces Cartwell in the fourth and final spot.
Movement catches my eye, Hade stomping into the Bubble with another Vanquisher I don’t recognize. He looks every bit the killer, with his black uniform, weapons strapped on every inch of him, and a fierce scowl slapped on his face.
My eyes can’t stop drinking him in, no matter how hard I try to pry my eyes away. He ignores me, focusing on the job at hand, his hand casually on the hilt of his sword. I know he can’t show me any attention, and honestly, he doesn’t even owe me that. I’m not quite sure what this thing happening between us is, or what it means. All I know is it feels right, and I don’t want it to stopanytime soon. I want to permanently plant myself beneath his skin until he cannot tell where he ends and I begin.
I want to know all of him.
I sigh happily when I feel the familiar essence of his magic, his scent carried on the wind, wrapping around me. It settles itself in the crook of my ear like always. I used to think it tickled, but now, it kind of feels likehome.
“You’re staring,” Hade whispers into my ear through his shadow magic. I nibble my lip, but my eyes stay planted on him. I wish so badly I could talk back to him, but I don’t need my competitors and the entirety of Lunaria thinking I’ve gone crazy by talking to myself, so I stay silent.
“Stop that,” he hisses, his tone hushed. “Those fucking lips of yours are distracting me—and don’t even get me started on your eyes.”
I gasp quietly, swallowing hard to force my emotions back down. I know I should be paying attention to the Empress, and I know I promised Hade I would do everything in my power to stay alive, but I learned a long time ago there is no going against the pull my body has to Hade. It’s out of my hands now.
“Who’s ready to hear what today’s game entails?” The Empress’ voice finally pulls my eyes away from Hade, and they go reluctantly. I swallow, readying myself for the worst.
It’s time to fight for my life.
“Promise,” Hade desperately whispers one last time into my ear, and this time, I do answer with a small nod.
“No matter how poor or wealthy, there is always one childhood game that has been constant for all time, the one thing children excel at over adults.” The Empress gestures her hand out to us and the growing crowd outside. “Any guesses?”
Small murmurs chatter around us, but no answers are given. The Empress’ smile grows until it takes up the entirety of her face, making my skin crawl. “Imagination,” she shouts. “The ability toplay pretend. I’m afraid, though, there will be no pretending with today’s game.”
My mind whirls with all the possibilities, but her vagueness leaves my mind empty. One thing I do know is my ability to play pretend. I’ve been pretending to be whatever I need to be to stay alive my entire life, and that won’t stop today. I will forge myself into anything needed to survive this.
“Little girls can be found playing pretend princesses or unicorns. Little boys, dragons and princes,” she drawls. “But what, my lovelies, is the greatest play pretend game of all?”
The crowd goes silent with anticipation. I look left and right to my three competitors, taking in their expressions. Tank looks disgustingly excited. Jade wears a small smirk, and Cartwell looks petrified but doing his best to mask his fear. And me? I have no idea how I feel right now, but I guess I’m about to find out.
“Pretend fighting,” she says excitedly. “Little boys and girls dueling in the streets like knights with wooden swords is a game as old as time.” She shifts her gaze back to us, and I can physically see the malice swirling behind her eyes.
“Today there will be no pretending, though, and no wooden swords. You will each face one of your competitors in a fight to the death. The game will only finish when one of you drops dead, slain by the other,” she says dramatically.
Chants and screams sting my ears as citizens stomp their feet and chant. My face falls for a brief second, realizing I have no idea which of my competitors I will be paired with. I’m avoiding the part about me having to kill someone altogether. Now I understand why Hade was so frantic today.
“Per tradition, your ranking in the competition holds importance for the fourth and fifth rounds of the Crucible, and this year is no different.”
It dawns on me now exactly how we will be paired up for our duels right before the Empress speaks. “Rankings one and fourwill compete against each other, leaving rankings two and three to face off. Being in the first spot ranking gives that competitor an advantage by getting to face off with our weakest.”
Cartwell curses under his breath next to me, and my heart sinks. Each round is to test us in different ways, but this round doesn’t seem as fair to some as others. I guess that’s the point of the rankings and public vote aspect of the game.
“This means Tank will be facing off against Cartwell, and Jade will be taking on Nyxi. Paired by gender, how funny.” She laughs to herself.
Jade sniggers next to me, acting like she has already won. I know she won’t be an easy competitor, but she’s smaller than me, so I have a slight advantage. I would much rather take her on than Tank, and I silently thank Theo for having my back.
“You are each allowed to pick one weapon of your choosing. Tank and Cartwell will go first, since Tank is our front runner.”
